The US looks forward to tangible progress in the drug fight

The State Department’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report reveals once again the deficiencies in the fight against Narcotics and Money laundering in Guyana. Under the heading Corruption, the State Department report observes that “As a matter of policy, the Government of Guyana does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.” But the report in its introduction states that “The influence of narcotics trafficking is evident in the country’s political and criminal justice systems.

Traffickers are attracted by the country’s poorly monitored ports, remote airstrips, intricate river networks, porous land borders, and weak security sector capacity” The report adds that “by strengthening Guyana’s counter-narcotics capabilities, the United States seeks to enhance interagency coordination and help gather better intelligence on drug trafficking routes. The report in its conclusion noted that “The United States would welcome increased levels of cooperation with the Government of Guyana to advance mutual interests against the threat of international drug trafficking.

It pointed out that Guyana has shown strong interest in furthering collaboration under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It disclosed that the US looks forward to tangible progress on investigations, prosecutions, extraditions, security sector and port security capacity enhancement, the engagement of at risk communities, and enforcement of the law against money laundering and financial crimes. The US Congress has mandated the State Department to produce these reports every year. The Guyana Government over the years has accepted the report in part and denied it in part.